Target-practice apparatus.



F. MITCHELL. TARGET PRACTICE APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED mums, 1909.

Patentgd Jan.23, 1912.

fnventar:

FRANK ITCHELL, or HAMMERSMI TH, noivbon, NGLAND, AssIeNoa, 'BY MiasNEASSIGNMENTS, T0 ATLANTIGNATIONAL BANK -OFPROVIDENOE, aarronn ISLAND,

A CORPORATION or errors ISLAND.

TARGET-PRACTICE APP RAT S.

p t e 9 Letters a en r Patented Jan. 23,1912.

Application filed May 26, 1909. Serial No. 498,387.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK llhrcHELL,

a subject of the King of Great Britain, residing at I-Iannnersmith,London, VV., England, have invented Improvements in Tar get-PracticeApparatus, of which the "following description, in connection with theaccompanying drawings, 1s a spec fication,"

like letters on the drawings representing like parts. 1

This invention is for improvements in or relating to apparatus forrifle, gunnery and like practice and particularly relates toapparatus'of the kind set forth in the specification of Letters Patentof Great Britain No. 9977 of 1906 granted to Frank Mitchell,

forimprovements in and relating to appa-' ratus for rifle, gunnery, andlike practice.

One object of the present invention is to combine with automaticrecording-apparatus of a particular typeset forth in the specificationof the aforesaid prior Letters Patent, 2'. c. what may for conveniencebe termed the axial type, a well known device for magnifying ormultiplying the 'di'splacement of the needle or marker relatively to theactual angulardisplacement of the practically- Thi's angulardisplacement" in gun, the other parts remaining the same. the operat onof aiming is imparted to it 111 relation to the cord or other {connectorstretched from the gun to some point in front of it. I According to thisinvention a cord (employed as before which lies normally in line withthe bore of the rifle or other "firing piece and extends therefrom to apoint in front of the rifle. This cord is interrupted by a device, forexample a stirrup or yoke,

at a point near the rifle and a needle or other recording member ispivoted to a support carried by the rlfle and operatively engaged withthe stirrup or other device.

I easily damaged in use. The Whole n1echa- Preferably a housing isprovided for the stirrup or other device that interrupts the cord andsuch housing also supports the recording member and is shaped toconstitute an endwise extension of the stock of the rifle. By. arrangingthe parts inthis manner the recording mechanism does not foul the lineof sight, and does not'project laterally or vertically "from the-riflein such a way as to distract the marksman or become rifle with mechanismis a perspective, Vice 7 The cross-section of nism is so arranged as tobe readily detached from the rifle and that end.

of the, cord which enters the bore of the barrel may be connected toadummy cartridge.

In the accompanying drawings 1 igure 1- isa perspective viewshowing'part of'a constructed according tothis invention attachedthereto; Fig 2 for use with rifles mechanism, and Fig." 3 is adiagrammatic View s owing the position'of the rifle on the tripod.

the drawings.

The housing or carriage A; is "shaped to end of'the barrel B of, the.

also extend. The housing slip over {the rifle and it may butt against orover the end of the stock B. when slidfon to the end of thejbarrelandover or against the end of the stock may be held in place by friction orany suitable fastening may be is slotted as at A so as not to foul. anylateral projections y 7 that end of the housing which engages or buttsagainst the stock Like letters indicate like parts throiighout such asthe sight B of a tripod or stand provided with such.

provided if desired. It 1 is. madev of approximately the same area as Ithat of'the portion of the stock combined with "the barrel thereonandall the mechanism mounted in and upon the'housing is of an endwiseextension upper portion of the housing is cut awayor reduced as at A and'the lower portion incl'oses a stirrup" C having arms G and C thatextend openings in the top of the, housing. f

conveniently made to lie within the. ,area

ofthese parts. Tl1e t forward end-of the through Fast on 'the upper faceof the reduced portion of the housing is ,a rectangular frame D. \The,frame is "dispo'sedtranS- versely to the barrel B and carries a fulcrumblock D. Mounted on the block and free to pivot in all directions is arecording needle E, one end of which has connection with a lugC thestirrup; The needle I pivotal on the. arm C of is so mounted, in

the block D that it "cannot move'endwise 1.

although it is free to rock in the "block in any plan'e, but as thesepartsin themselves form .no part of the-:present inventionfa detaileddescription thereof isunnecessary The stirrup a cord F. F whereof itpractically forms a oryokeC is held in place by bull of the same, asdescribed in the earlier specification No. 9977/06 already referred to.The cord portion F also has a loop at one end which hitches over a clawC on the arm C of the stirrup C and the other end of this portion ofcord is secured to a screw-threaded plug G which is entered in a dummycartridge G whose interior is screw-threaded to receive the plug. Thedummy cartridge is made externally of the same shape as the ordinarycartridge and consequently can be entered in the breech in the usualway. A portion however of the flange G is cut away as shown at G so thatthe extractor with which rifles are usually provided will not withdrawthe dummy cartridge when the firing bolt is withdrawn.

Opposite the free end of the needle E a miniature target H is mounted.This is carried by a frame that extends vertically from a horizontalsliding piece H. This sliding piece is mounted in a groove H provided inthe upper face of the housing A. The direction of the groove is parallelto the bore of the rifle and thus the target can be advanced toward orwithdrawn from the needle without alteration of their relative positionsin a lateral direction.

That end of the needle E which extends from the fulcrum block D on theside remote from the arm G of the stirrup is of greater length than theportion which extends from the fulcrum block to the arm C so that anymovement of the stirrup is proportionally magnified by the needle aswill be readily understood. The longer end of the needle carries aweight E that counterbalances the weight of the stirrup C.

The operation of this mechanism is as follows. The position of theneedle E is controlled by the relative position of the cord F F and thebarrel B and the parts are so alined that when the rifle is correctlyaimed at the bull of the distant target, the cord lies centrally withinthe barrel and the needle E, is directly opposite the bull on theminiature target H as shown. With the parts so alined any aim that isnot true will deflect the needle E through an angle that will beproportional to that made between the cord F F and the bore of thebarrel, but the needle will be deflected through a greater angle owingto the magnifying movement obtained by pivoting it in the block D thismagnifying movement, as is well known, permits a larger miniature targetto be used with the apparatus than would otherwise be possible. Therecord is effected by the target being moved forward, say by themovement of the firing bolt at the moment of firing and such movement ofthe bolt may be imparted to the target by pneumatic or other means, forexample, a Bowden wire, connecting the firing bolt with the slidingpiece H The sliding piece carries a pin H to which the Bowden wire maybe attached. By connecting the end of the portion F of the cord to theplug G and mounting this concentrically in the dummy cartridge G,adjustment of the cord may be effected by screwing the plug farthertoward one end or other of the cartridge without deranging the alinementof the cord. The cord may be secured to the plug by passing it through ahole and knotting it on the farther side and if the hole is centrallysituated no displacement of the cord laterally will take place when theplug is adjusted.

It will be seen that the whole of the miniature target apparatus isreadily detachable. To remove the parts from the rifle it is onlynecessary to first unhitch the end of the cord portion F from the claw Cof the stirrup C. The housing A with the indicator mechanism thereon canthen be withdrawn bodily from the rifle and the cord portion F can beremoved by withdrawing the dummy cartridge G. The cord portion F can beunhitched from the hook C on the arm C of the stirrup C to release thecord from the rest of the indicator mechanism. Before removing thehousing A the connection between the sliding member H of the target Hand the belt of the rifle must be detached.

To allow for windage the fulcrum block D is adjustably carried in theframe I). A spring D always tends to move the block to the top of theframe and the vertical position is adjusted by a set screw D againstwhich the block bears. In opposite sides of the frame D and engaging theblock D are other set screws D. These control the lateral position ofthe block and by screwing them in one direction or the other adjustmentmay be effected for the purpose of displacing the needle relatively tothe target H when it is desired to allow for windage.

For teaching recruits a tripod such as shown in Fig. 2 is found usefulwith a rifle provided with indicating apparatus of the kind described.The tripod or stand coinprises a frame J having a table J On this tableis a fixed block K that is recessed at K to receive the forward end ofthe stock of the rifle. The table carries a second block K that isrecessed at K to receive the rear end of the stock or that portion ofthe same that lies just in front of the magazine.

' of the rifle owing to tus, the combination with by moving the block KThe block K is adjustable laterally by of the screw L and forwardly orrearwardly by means of the screw correctly aimed; The recruit can thenlook along the sights and ascertain whetherhis method of sighting iscorrect. It will be seen that the forward. or rearward adjustment of theblock K changes the elevation clined rear portion B of the stock:

At the side of the-stand a secondtable J is provided- This tablevis at alower level than the table J and may be provided with blocks in the samemanner, the height. being suitable for firing in a kneeling positionWhile the height of the table J may be suit able for a standingposition. Obviously the block K may also be made adjustable if desiredand instead of employing the sloped for varying the of these blocks mayv,

portion B of the rifle stock elevation of the aim, one have means forvertical Having thus described I claim is: g ,7 I

1. In a target practice apparatus, the combination with an aiming deviceof a flexible connector normally .in line with the bore adjustment: mylIlVe11t1011,Wll2tt thereof, a connection betweenthe connector and theaiming device,a pivotal support on the aiming device for the recordingmember and a rigid member interrupting the connector at a point near theaiming device.

2. In a miniature target an aiming device having a barrel, of arecording member,'a' pivotal support for said recording member, aflexible connector associated with said recording member in the sameaxial line withv the p vot thereof and passing lnto the barrel of theaiming device, and a connection between the connector and the aimingdevice.

3. In a miniature target practice appara tus, the combination with anaiming device having a barrel, of a dummy cartridge in the breech endthereof, a recordingmember, a pivotal support for the recording member,

a flexible connecting member associatedtherewith, said connectorextending into the barrel of the aiming device, and a connection betweensaid connector and said cartridge. i 4. In a target practice apparatus,the comthat can be adjusted in the longitudinal direction of the table Jby a screw L In usethe tripod is alinedso that laterally by means Luntil the rifle is itsengaging the in-- practice apparaunector; v p

- 10. In a target practice apparatus, the i withthe aiming device,

ends to the flexible bination= with an aiming device having a cartridgeand secured to said connector.

barrel, of recording apparatus, 'a flexible I, I connector associatedwiththe recording apparatus and extending into the barrelbt the aimingdevice, a dummycartridge, andaf A plug havingthreaded engagementwithsaid 5. In a target practice apparatus, the com bination with anaiming jdevice havingi'a barrel, otrecording means, a flexible mer'nber'associated therewith, and means within the barrel of the aiming devicefor adjustingthe attachment of theconnectorthereto;

, V 6. In a target practice apparatus, thecom- -b1nat1on wlthana1m1ngdev1ce havlng a barrel, of a recording member, a flexibleconnector associated with the recording. memben a member constltutlng anendwlse extension otthe stock for the aimingdevice, sald membersupporting therecordlng mem ber, and aninterrupting member interruptingthe flexible connector and housed within the said endwise extensionmember;

"In a target practice apparatus, the com. bination with a gun having abarrel and a stock, er amember constituting an endwise extension of thestock andsecured thereto, and an aim recording apparatus supported uponsaid endwise extension. 7 p a 8. In a'tar'get practice apparatus, thecom bination with. a gun having a barreland a stock," of a memberconstituting an endwise extension of the stock and having'a crosssectionof: approximately the same area as I that of thefiring end of the stock,recording means supported on said endwise extension,

includinga target and a marker lying within the area of the said endwiseextension, 0

anda flexibleconnector associated with the said recording mechanism andhav ngconnection with a point apart-from the grin,

9. In a target practice apparatus, the com.-

bination with an aiming device, of a marker, a min ature, target, aflexibleconnector leading from the aiming. device; to a point aparttherefrom, having a combination with an aiming device, of a marker,aminiature target, aflexible con nector leading from the aiming deviceto a. and a rigid inter-' v a hooked connection v point apart therefrom,rupting member having at each end portion of the flexible connector andbeing also connected to the marker.

and a rigid interrupting'member L hooked attachment to the con-,'

. 11. Ina miniature target practice apparatus, the combination with anaiming device, of a flexible connector ax ally all nod therewlth," meansconnecting the connector the aiming device, a pivotal support for themarker and a stirrup connected at opposite connector and having alsoconnectionwith the marker.

i a marker carried by i & 1,015,391

12.' In a target practice apparatus the cording member, said recordingmember combination With an aiming device having having a magnifiedmovement over that of a barrel of a supporting member adapted to theconnector.

be applied to the barrel of the aiming de- In testimony whereof, I havesigned my 15 5 vioe, a miniature target carried by said name to thisspecification, in the presence of member, l2; pivoted recorder alsocarried by two subscribing Witnesses.

said mem er, a flexible connector having one T end connected to a pointWithin the barrel FRAB K MITCHELL of the aiming device and the other endto Witnesses: 10'an extraneous object, and a connection be- HARRY B.BRIDGE, Jr.,

tween said connector and said pivoted re- PERCY W. HIoGINsoN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents Washington, D. G.

